The drug company AstraZeneca is currently conducting a global study testing a new treatment for patients with unresectable pleural mesothelioma. The study, called the “eVOLVE-Meso” Phase III clinical trial, is comparing the impact of its drug Volrustomig (MEDI5752) in combination with standard chemotherapy against either standard chemotherapy or treatment with the immunotherapy combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab.
How the New Mesothelioma Treatment Works
Currently, mesothelioma patients are being treated using chemotherapy and a combination of the immunotherapy drugs ipilimumab and nivolumab. The new immunotherapy that is being tested, Volrustomig, works differently from the existing options. While the others block a single pathway of the cancer’s progression, Volrustomig blocks two different proteins on cancer cells at the same time.
The scientists behind the new mesothelioma drug theorize that by blocking these proteins, Volrustomig will boost the immune system’s ability to detect and fight the cancer. They have described this double-blocking approach as being akin to having two locks on a door instead of one. They hope that Volrustomig will improve the immune system’s ability to find and destroy mesothelioma cells more effectively than single-target treatments.
Mesothelioma Trial to Include 600 Patients Worldwide
The e-VOLVE MESO study has been designed as a randomized trial, meaning a computer randomly assigned the trial’s 600 participants (including 40 from the UK) into two groups. One group received the new combination of Volrustomig plus the chemotherapy drugs pemetrexed and carboplatin, while the other received either one of the two current standard treatments: either nivolumab with ipilimumab or chemotherapy. Patients received treatment through IV drips every three weeks, with chemotherapy lasting about 18 weeks and Volrustomig continuing for up to two years based on initial results.
The eVOLVE-Meso trial began in November 2023 and is expected to be completed this month. 2025. Beyond just testing effectiveness, researchers will also gauge how the treatment affected patients’ quality of life to better measure both whether the treatment worked and how it impacts daily living. The scientists hope that this dual-protein blocking approach to unresectable pleural mesothelioma will revolutionize mesothelioma treatment and provide patients with a more effective weapon against this challenging disease.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. For more information, call 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
